how has your collecting changed over time?

C

cognitivefun

Joined
Oct 24, 2004
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I am new to knife collecting. I didn't think I would collect knives at all, but suddenly I have a bunch of knives and have been posting on Bladeforums so I guess I am a collector :)

I started with a Camillus Heat and felt it was too large. I also loved the assisted opening but felt it was too switch-blade like and something about it didn't please me, quality wise, nothing I can put my finger on as it is a great knife.

My first knife I loved was a Ritter mini grip RSK. Then it was on to a larger size. My Sebbie small regular was my first expensive knife. And I still didn't understand the fascination with folders or larger knives.

Then I got interested in larger knives that could be used for rescue or urban survival...ended up with a few Striders. I purchased my first quality fixed blade and expect to get it any day.

I have a few inexpensive folders I purchased and although both are gone now I am re-ordering (BM Monochrome and the fantastic value Ka-Bar Dozier folding hunter).

The Sebbie seems so wonderfully outstanding as a precision tool that I can't bear to use it hard and anyway I don't really have too many opportunities to use a knife hard. But I love the Striders for that, and my AlMar 2K.

I have one semi-custom, a Hideaway Knife I use every day but I purchased it from the "available now" inventory...a Mickey Yurco straight S30V. I wear it every day.

What's been the story of how your collecting has progressed?
 
dennis75 said:
is this a deja-vu? or has this exact post been done and over with about a week ago? :confused: :rolleyes: :confused:
Click to expand...

it probably has. I apologize if so...perhaps a senor moment...do you have a URL?
 
I don't "collect" knives, although the quantity of them that I own would give that impression. I use, at one time or another, everything I own.

Here is a quote I posted in a thread a while back that pretty much sums up my "full circle" through knifedom.


cpirtle said:
I just got done slashing my finger to the bone eating an apple with my Nowland Saddlehorn so forgive me if I drift, but I too have gone full circle.... at least twice.

I have always had a selection of fixed blades so what I'm saying here mainly pertains to folders.

For years I carried slipjoints only, and had a few lockbacks I would occasionally carry in a belt sheath. When I was 13 my friends parents had a hard time understanding why I would carry a "big knife" in a belt sheath, I pretty much stopped so I didn't have to listen to them.

On to college, still mainly slip joints but bigger ones. I also got a few Spyderco's. Primarily a large Buck Stockman.

After college the BM705 came out and I thought that was the bees knees, I carried that sucker for a long time.

Then one day I decided I wanted something different and stumbled on to Bladeforums in my quest, it was all down hill from there ;)

I went from mid-range production tacticals, to high end production tacticals, to custom tacticals ranging the full spectrum. I went through a phase where I thought 3" was my perfect size, then 4", then anything bigger than 4". During this phase of evoltuion I saw little need for the small stuff.

Tacticals were mainly the order of the day and I bounced back and forth between favorite locks types and steel.

One day the process of "sewing my oats" brought a startling revelation, all of these big tacticals were great for the wow factor, beautiful to look at and would be nice in the rare event I needed to defend myself with one, but they could not cut for poo. That was about the same time that I realized I hated liner locks....

So, the process of revamping the collection went through another phase.

Now for the most part I carry a slip joint every day in my left front pocket (usually a beautiful custom like the one I just about de-tipped my finger with today), a lock-back, Axis lock or frame lock (although I only have one of these anymore because I decided I really don't like frame locks either, but that's a whole nother story) of choice either clipped to my pocket or in a belt sheath if it's one of my many 110's.

So for me it's efficient cutting big knives with blades in the 4" range and a nice traditional slip joint. In day-to-day use the slipjoint sees 95% of the action and I'm getting to the point where some days I don't even carry a bigger knife to the office.

I'm sure a good shrink could tear me apart but hey, it's what makes life interesting. My wife and I already have established that I have OCD when it comes to hobbies and things I'm passionate about but that's why she married me.

At last count I had conducted over 350 buy/sell/trade transactions on this and other forums with knives ranging from $10 to $750, I think I've finally got what I like down pat and am happy with life :D
Click to expand...
 
I found myself buying knives about 2 years before I found Bladeforums and the internet.
If it wasn't for the internet I would have been perfectly happy with the less expensive knives that I was aquiring at the time. Then, it became a question of the knife having to meet certain criteria and it got a little pricey.
I'm actually somewhat ashamed of myself for spending so much on knives during my tenure here on the forums.
Now, I am pretty much full circle and again looking for less expensive knives.
Well, maybe one nicer one once in a while. ;)
 
a got a swiss army knife type thing

I got A got a fairly good lock knife

I was given a cheap multitool

I got a small bowie knife

I got what was a posh lock knife but didn't like it

I got a good multitool

I sold the 6inch bowie to help pay for a fallkniven F1

ended up with some mora knives

bought the F1

I got a spyderco calypso jr and some more victorinox stuff

A very nice man decided to make a knife for me

I got some kitchen knives along the way as well
 
I have graduated upwards in quality, that's for sure. Not that I have any bad knives. And quality isn't always expensive, although it often is.

I appreciate the $15 SAK that I bought my son and the SMF Strider I bought myself, and the $20 Ka-Bar. Quality comes in different guises but it has definitely been an upward climb in quality for me...
 
ok i'll join this one: my 'collectioning' has changed from impulsive collecting everything i like to learning what my true preferences are and actually buying only knives nowadays that fit my style and uses perfectly. i've developed a strong preference for Leatherman in multi's, Spyderco for folders and TOPS and Strider for fixed. in short, i've wisened up and know what iwant and need nowadays.

dennis
 
I started out tactical folders and overbuilt and large fixed blades in the $100 and under category. Slowly my collection has evolved to eliminate most of my 6+" fixed blades. More natural materials are on board. Select custom and semi-customs that I've been lucky enough to trade into have made it into my collection, and as far as folders go, select Benchmades & Spydies, a few CRKTs, & most of the @3" steel production framelocks.

For fixed blades, my criteria is real-world, realistic carry, camping, backpacking usage with the ability to go survival if, God forbid, the need arose.

For folders, my theme is quintessence; as in the quintessential Benchmade, Buck (traditional and tactical), Spyderco, Al Mar, Schrade, Camillus (traditional and tactical), CRKT.
 
Basically everything I buy now is WAY more expensive :(
But I usually get good deals because I keep my eyes open.
 
My knife collecting began in 1975 when I inherited my late Father's knife collection, I was 12 at the time. Since then I've gone through Case, Buck, Spyderco, Benchmade and finally to CRK (primarily the Mnandi) and customs. I've also come to view quality as being much more desirable than quantity. ;)
 
When I was a kid I thought big fixed blade knives were cool. Then I was like, "woah, why don't I get a few FOLDERS that I can (legally) carry around and use". Now I think balisongs are the most fun to collect.
 
Gone up in cost and quality.
Started at about $130. Now somewhere between $250 and $450, per, except for a recent sword $1600.
 
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